I Had to Do It
by Radwa
Summary: Takes place during season 3. Tony, Michelle, Nina.Will Tony commit treason? Epilogue added
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: that fic takes place during season 3 episode 14, it's an AU fic; I played with the dialogue a little. It is inspired by Freelance-babe's Bridge the gaps.

Tony sat in his office trying to gather his thoughts but he failed miserably; his thought kept wondering back to Michelle: "oh God, what have I done? Why did I act like a bastard? Hasn't she suffered enough already?"

Ryan Chappelle interrupted his thoughts when he entered the office. Tony couldn't stop the bad feeling he had when he saw Ryan; he felt he wouldn't like what Ryan wanted to say.

Ryan looked at him for a while: "Jack called, they are almost here", Tony remained silent waiting for him to continue: 'I want you to interrogate Nina". Tony's jaw dropped in surprise: "you can't be serious, for Christ's sake Ryan; I am the last person you should be asking"

Ryan seemed irritated: "you are the ONLY one capable of doing that. I can't let Jack interrogate her, she killed his wife and his addiction makes things worse. I need somebody who can read her which means it's either you or Jack and I'll die before I let him in that room"

Tony sighed heavily. He knew Ryan was right. It was his duty after all but he hated it; he didn't want to see her, he didn't know how he would react and it bothered him. He thought for a while then raised his head; "fine, I'll do it"

Moments later, Dalton told him they were ready. He entered the room to talk to Michelle but Dalton was there so he settled on: "so, we're all right?' he received a none convincing "yeah, we're fine" but he didn't say anything.

He paused at the door preparing himself for the interrogation. He entered putting a cold mask on his face. He didn't want her to get to him; they couldn't afford her to know how much her presence affected him.

It wasn't until she said: "that's a nice ring, who's the lucky girl?" that he knew something was wrong. Her voice was quivering and she was avoiding his eyes. Nina had never done that before, she always looked at him square in the eye.

Her next words shocked him: "I want to speak with you…..privately", Tony narrowed his eyes trying to figure out what she was up to but what he saw surprised him. Nina's eyes were pleading with him to do what she asked for. Tony thought it over then decided to do what she wanted; he disconnected the audio then turned to her and stopped dead in his tracks.

He thought he was dreaming; Nina's eyes were watering. He stared at her shocked as she struggled to collect herself. He sat down waiting for her to speak but what she said sent him over the edge. He heard a shaking "I miss you" coming out of her mouth.

He stared at her with wide eyes a she slowly brought her eyes to meet his. They stared at each other for a long time then she started: "I know you don't believe me but I do miss you. They never asked me to date you but I did…because I loved you. You dated me because you liked me Tony not to use me. You made me feel alive"

Tony's voice was cold: "How am I supposed to believe you, you sold the plans to CTU, you knew I could get hurt but you didn't care and now you claim that you love me, sorry Nina but I don't buy that"

Nina shook her head in despair: "No, I swear that's not true. When I sold those plans, I thought I would be here. They said they would warn me before the attack so I could get out. I intended to get you out as well"

Tony looked at the ceiling. Whether he wanted to admit or not, the conversation was getting into him._ She _was getting into him: "Is that supposed to make me feel better? You didn't care about the people you worked with for years, you are STILL working with terrorists"

Nina's voice broke: "I'll tell you where to find Marcus Alvers so that you could intercept the virus. I'll stop helping terrorists. All what I ever wanted was you Tony. Please, let's just leave all that behind and start over, just give me a second chance and I swear I'll never hurt you again"

Nina could tell something had moved inside him, his feeling for her were still there and she touched him with her words. She meant what she said. She did love him, he was always there for her, he protected her and made her feel safe. She did a lot of bad things but he was the only good thing in her life. She hurt him badly and she wanted a chance to make it up for him. She wanted to be loved by him again and to feel his arms around her.

Tony stood up suddenly startling her. She looked at him with fear in her eyes, she was afraid he would refuse. He seemed so lost and confused. He avoided her gaze; "I need time to think", she nodded and put her face in her hands when he left.

The second Tony had left; Michelle and Dalton bombarded him with questions. He raised his hand to silence them; "she didn't say anything, she was just trying to manipulate me", Michelle eyed him suspiciously; she knew he was hiding something but it wasn't the time to question him about it.

Tony felt guilt wash over him when his eyes met Michelle's; he was considering leaving her. He was going to stab her in the back just like Nina stabbed him.

Nina, she never left his thought whether he cared to admit or not. He loved her but her betrayal was too much. He went to his office to make a decision. Who was the woman he loved more? He cared for Michelle deeply but if it weren't for Nina's betrayal, he wouldn't have been married to Michelle. He would have been married to Nina. She did a lot of mistakes but love is about forgiveness. He looked down at Michelle and sent her a silent apology, he made his decision.

15 minutes later, an alarm blared throughout CTU. Jack ran towards the holding room where Nina was kept but he didn't find her. Adam brought the security footage and every body froze. Tony was the one who helped Nina. Michelle fell down on her chair shocked as Chase ran to Tony's office. He found a note addressed to Jack, it said: "I'll send you the address of the bar where Alvers is supposed to meet Amador in a couple of hours, tell Michelle I'm sorry"


	2. Chapter 2

Nina opened the door of the beach house and let Tony enter. She had a big smile on her face; she couldn't believe what happened. Tony forgave her and abandoned his old life for her.

Tony was looking around the house when she planted a kiss on his shoulder. He turned around and gave her a smile and she lost control. She started kissing him with every thing she got. He responded by wrapping his arms around her. He broke the kiss and started: "Nina, we have to send the address now, we don't know how much time we have left"

She nodded and moved towards the computer to send the address to Jack. Once she did, his smile seemed more relaxed. She caressed his cheek and noticed that he looked tired so she led him to the bedroom.

She moved her hands up and down his back and he knew what she wanted but was too tired to comply: "I'm so tired right now, can we wait until tomorrow?"

She didn't want to but she knew he went through hell today and he needed to sleep. She lied down next to him and silently stroked his hair. She touched the bandage on his neck gently: "what happened?"

She thought he was asleep when he didn't answer then she heard his voice: "the Salazars tricked us; they made us think they infected a teenager with the virus. I went to pick him up and one of their men shot me"

Nina leaned and kissed the bandage. She intertwined her fingers with his as he drifted off to sleep. She kept staring at his sleeping form. His handsome face was so peaceful that it reminded her of their days together.

Despite her efforts, her thoughts wandered to Jack. He was the first man she loved. She did love Tony but Jack's love was stronger. She remembered how good she felt around Jack. She started having second thoughts about Tony, could she live with him forever, Did she _want_ to live with him forever, she missed him and wanted to feel him again but her ambitions were stronger. She didn't allow her love for Jack stop her and she certainly wouldn't allow Tony's love to.

She looked at him and made her decision; she would stay with him for a while then she would leave. He was strong and she was sure he would be okay. She drew up her plane then drifted off to sleep.

Tony woke up an hour later; he couldn't understand why Michelle wasn't snuggling close to him like she always did. He focused on the ceiling until he remembered what happened. He propped himself up on am elbow and watched Nina for a while then decided to go for a walk.

The moon was full that night and its rays created a beautiful scenery with the water. Tony sat down and stared at the water; he tried to imagine Michelle's reaction but failed. His heart started aching; he loved her and didn't want to hurt her the way he did.

Jack entered CTU with Chase close on his heels. His mind was racing; he couldn't believe that Tony betrayed them. He saw Michelle typing on the computer and wanted to talk to her but he didn't know what to say. How could he possibly comfort her while he needed some one to comfort him?

Chase interrupted his thoughts: "how come the address was correct?" Jack turned to him with a confused expression: "I don't understand what just happened Chase so don't expect me to have answers"

Kim approached them and asked: "Is it over?" Jack nodded: "yeah, we found them and secured the virus" Kim looked at Michelle: "she refused to talk to me, she is hurting very badly. Why don't you try Dad?"

Jack was about to answer when his phone rang. He listened for a second then exploded: "you son of bitch, how dare you? Damn it Tony, I thought I knew you"

Every body turned to him as soon as they had heard Tony's name. Kim and Adam ran to track the call while Jack continued to yell: "you are just like her, have you forgotten how badly she messed you up? Do you really think she won't do it again? No wait don't answer that. I want the guys to hear you" with that he put Tony on the loud speaker: "go ahead, explain yourself"

Tony's voice was calm: "what were you expecting me to do? She wasn't going to tell us anything Jack and you know that. She gave me the chance. She said she would tell me where Alvers was if I left with her. I had no choice, my God, I thought you knew better. Did you actually believe I could betray my country? I could do that to Michelle?"

Jack was speechless for a second: "why should I believe you?" Tony sighed: "I'm sure Adam found out where I'm. Come over to arrest Nina and if you think I'm lying, arrest me as well. I'm practically giving myself in Jack" with that he hung up leaving CTU in shock.

Tony got in bed careful not to disturb Nina. She turned around and smiled at him: "hey, where were you" He rubbed his face; 'I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep so I went for a walk" she kissed him lightly then went back to sleep. Tony closed his eyes trying to relax: "come on Jack, I don't know what I would do if she woke up again"

A little while later, Jack's team broke into the house. Jack and Chase entered the bedroom and Jack secured Nina as Chase eyed Tony carefully. Tony didn't move, he just watched Jack. Nina understood immediately and shot daggers at Tony but he didn't care. He focused on Jack: "Do you believe me?"

He received his answer from another mouth. He turned around the second he heard her voice. Michelle stood looking at him with tears in her eyes and his heart melted. He hurt her again but this time was worse.

The pain was evident in his voice: 'Michelle, I….."She cut him off by throwing her arms around his neck. Her body was shaking and he tried to soothe her: "it's ok sweetheart, I'm here. God, I'm so sorry. I didn't know what else to do" she silenced him by putting her finger on his mouth then she kissed him passionately. She broke the kiss and rested her forehead on his:" I know baby, you had to do it"

_Some of your guys said it's out of character for Tony to leave Michelle and for Nina to love anybody but herself. I had a few problems with the idea myself. I hope I clarified what Tony did, Nina is human after all. She has feelings and can love, personally I think that Nina did love Jack in one way or another. Do me a favor, if u are Anonymous reviewers, leave your email so I can explain myself._


	3. Chapter 3

_Hey everybody. I didn't intend to add another chapter to that story but a couple of you asked me to so I decided to add a couple of chapters. Thanks to those of you who helped me make up my mind._

The drive back to CTU was silent. Tony kept glancing at Michelle but she refused to meet his gaze, she was very disappointed but she didn't know with whom. Was she disappointed with Tony? He did nothing wrong. He was just doing his job and she couldn't blame him. As a federal agent, he was forced to do what he'd done. Both of them had sworn to protect their country at any cost so why was she upset with him?

Michelle touched her ring briefly. She admitted it; she was angry with Tony for not telling her about the secret mission and for making her believe that he wanted to be with Nina. However, Michelle knew that she was angry with herself too.How could she not notice that her husband was hiding something from her? How could she believe that the same man who almost died for his country today was a traitor?

Michelle felt as if her head was going to explode. She was going in circles and her thoughts made no sense. She felt Tony's hand cover hers. She could feel his hesitance and she hated herself for acting like that, she knew he was feeling guilty but she couldn't do anything about it. Her mind wasn't clear and she had to collect her thoughts before talking to him. She just hoped that he would understand.

Tony didn't know how to feel about the way Michelle reacted to his touch. She didn't pull her hand away which meant that she wasn't angry with him but she didn't caress his hand like she used to which meant that something was bothering her. He looked at her beautiful face and sighed. He knew that she was having a battle with herself. As his wife, she had every right to be angry but as a federal agent, she understood his actions. It was his duty to do everything in his power to find out where the virus was.

Tony knew how hard it was to keep their personal life from interfering with their jobs. He went through the same battle hours ago when Michelle told Ryan he wasn't fit to run CTU. The federal agent in him knew that she was doing her job but the husband in him was expecting her to trust him more. Tony lost his battle and as a result, he treated her like crap. He didn't know which side of Michelle would win the battle.

They were getting close to CTU and Tony knew he had to do something. They wouldn't be able to talk in CTU and there was no way they could go on like that. In the same time, they couldn't talk with Jack and Chase in the front seat. Tony didn't know what to do. After thinking for a while, he opted to the best solution. He squeezed Michelle's hand lightly then lifted it to his lips and pressed a soft kiss to her palm.

They arrived at CTU shortly after that. Tony noticed that everybody stopped working and turned to them the second they entered the bullpen. Chappelle approached them and said to Tony: "working with Bauer for so long affected you but the result was satisfying, good job"

Tony stared at Chappelle, he couldn't believe his ears. Ryan Chappelle just told him that he was pleased with his work. He was sure that both he and Michelle would joke about it later. Thinking about Michelle reminded him of their situation. He looked at her but she kept avoiding his gaze and he decided to give her some time. He just hoped that they would sort things out.

Nina was escorted with some guards into the bullpen. As she passed them, she muttered something. They didn't hear anything except Michelle's name. Michelle turned to the guards: "wait". They stopped and turned to her as Tony held his breath. He didn't want Michelle to talk to Nina but Michelle approached her:"did you just say something?"

Nina looked at Tony for a while to evoke Michelle then replied: "I said do you think it'll be the same?" Michelle crossed her arms waiting for Nina to continue: "Do you think things between you and Tony will be the same?"

Tony's blood ran cold as he glanced at Michelle. She was masking her emotions well but he could see through it. Nina was getting into her and he wanted desperately to protect her from the poison of Nina Myers.

Michelle bit her lip nervously. Nina's words affected her whether she cared to admit it or not. Nina had just voiced her worst fears and Michelle wished if she knew the answer to that question. She was scared to death but she wasn't going to let Nina know that. She looked Nina square in the eye: "why won't they?"

Nina barked a laugh: "oh please. Um, Michelle, am I right? Your husband lied to you and every time he'll tell you something, you will doubt it. Your marriage entered a circle of lies that will never end. There is no way you are going to trust him again. He didn't trust you so why should you trust him? Your marriage is doomed and there is nothing you can do about it"

Michelle's body started to shake. She couldn't do that anymore. Nina's words stung so much and she couldn't even find her voice to respond. She was losing it and she knew it.

Everybody else including Nina noticed the change in Michelle. The color drained from her face and she was taking long shaky breaths. Nina smirked in satisfaction. That's exactly what she wanted. Tony betrayed her and he was the reason she was going back to prison and she wasn't going to let him enjoy his life. She would make his wife doubt him and think that her marriage was shaken. She would make his life a living hell: "and when you marriage is over. Whose reputation will be ruined? You will be the girl who tricked the boss into marrying her for her own interests and when she got what she wanted, she divorced him. Of course some people will think that Tony was the one who divorced you because he uncovered your true face. I pity you, how are you going to deal with that?"

At that point Chappelle yelled: "that's enough. Take her to holding one". The guards took Nina away as Michelle stumbled to the ladies room. Tears filled her eyes and it took all of her strength not to break down in front of everybody. She knew that what Nina said wasn't true. Her marriage was strong and Tony loved her .They just had a problem like any other couple. She kept repeating the same things to herself hoping to calm down.

Tony rushed after Michelle and caught up with her just outside the ladies room. He grabbed her elbow gently and turned her to face him. Tears were rolling down her cheeks and his heart went out for her. She was in so much pain because of him and it sickened him. He pulled her to his embrace and she held into him. She started sobbing painfully and he ran his hands up and down her back: "shhh, it's okay baby. I'm here. Calm down"

Tony pulled back and wiped her tears. She raised her eyes to meet his and his heart shattered, there was so much pain in her eyes and he didn't know how to take it away. He caressed her cheek and she leaned into his touch. He traced her lips with the other hand and she gazed in his eyes until he whispered: "it's not true"

A sob escaped her lips and he kissed her forehead: "I want you to know that you can trust me. I hated what I've done. I hated lying to you and hurting you but I didn't know what else to do. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry baby"

Michelle shook her head and took a deep breath. Her voice was heavy with emotions: "I'm not mad because of what you have done with Nina. I'm disappointed with myself Tony. My husband was keeping a secret from me and I had no idea. What kind of wife does that make me? I….."

Tony cut her off: "No, you are the best wife anybody could ask for. I'm blessed to have you in my life. Sweetheart, please don't beat yourself up on that. I promise I'll never hide anything from you again. Can you forgive me?"

Michelle smiled through her tears. Tony always knew how to make her feel better no matter what. She knew that they still needed to have another conversation but that was enough for the time being.

Michelle leaned forward and kissed Tony tenderly. He pulled her closer and deepened the kiss. She ran her hand through his hair and he smiled against her lips: "Does that mean I'm forgiven?" She rested her forehead on his and whispered: "I love you so much". Tony brushed her hair away from her face: "I love you too"

They got lost in each other's eyes then Tony remembered something. He held her hand tightly as he said: "there is something else that I need to apologize for. I was so harsh on you before. I had no right to….."

Michelle put her figures on his lips to silence him: "it doesn't matter. I want you to know that I was just worried about you". Tony rubbed his nose against hers: "I know. So what's my punishment going to be? You'll make my eat one of your home cooked meals?"

Michelle gasped in mock horror: "who are you punishing exactly? Because it looks like you are punishing me not yourself ".Tony smiled and teased her: "I'm punishing both of us". Michelle tried to look offended but Tony just cocked his head to the side and raised his brow and she couldn't help but giggle at his expression.

Michelle slid her hand down Tony's face and neck. She stopped when her hand reached the bandage on his neck: "Does it hurt?" Tony shook her head trying to assure her that he was okay but she eyed him carefully:" Tony, you promised"

Tony sighed and looked at the floor: "it hurts a little. It's not that bad though. I took some pain killers". Michelle bit her lip: "promise me that you will get it checked". Tony nodded and she kissed his cheek gratefully. That wound scared her more than she cared to admit. It was a constant reminder that she was so close to losing him.

Tony reached for her hand and caressed it gently: "you're better than me". Michelle looked surprised so he explained: "you didn't mix the cards. You separated the wife from the federal agent while I failed"

Michelle smiled and brushed her lips against his: "I love you the way you are. Plus, you look adorable when you get angry and go in a bad agent mood". Tony laughed at her: "well, we should go back. I don't' think that Ryan looks adorable when he is in bad agent mood"

Michelle made a face at him but started walking. He wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her temple. Suddenly, she stopped and turned to him; "Tony, was I delusional or did Ryan actually congratulate you on your work?" .Tony pretended to be thinking for a second then whispered as if he was telling her the most dangerous secret in the universe: "I think he did"

"Wow "Michelle exclaimed: "we should throw him a party". Tony chuckled: "yeah but don't tell him. It'll be better without him". Michelle threw him a bright smile and he smiled back.

Both Tony and Michelle returned to the bullpen in a better shape. They took a few minutes to express their feelings and apologize to each other and that helped both of them a lot. Now, they could deal with Chappelle and prevent Adam and Chloe from fighting. They could calm Jack down and convince him not to kill Chase. They were one team again.


	4. Chapter 4

_Thanks for all the reviews. This is the last chapter of that story. I'm still thinking about adding an epilogue. If you guys read the story, please do me a favor and help me to decide._

Tony and Michelle found the staff in the situation room and joined them. Everybody turned to them and Ryan said: "Tony, Michelle. Nice of you to join us"

Michelle bit her lip trying to suppress a smile while Tony kept a straight face. Once they took their seats, Ryan started talking: "As I was saying, we secured the virus and Alvers and Amador are in custody. Alvers said that they were supposed to meet a buyer but he didn't know his name. Amador refused to talk, Richards is with him but I don't think that he is going to talk. Our only lead is Nina…."

Tony cut him off: "wait a second. We don't know that. There is a chance that she doesn't know anything and even if she does, she isn't going to tell us anything unless we have something she wants"

Ryan was clearly irritated that he was interrupted:"I'm aware of that. That's why we need to pick the best interrogator. I'm done playing games with her and there is no way I'm letting her go". He looked back and forth between Jack and Tony tying to pick one. Before he could speak, another voice interrupted him: "I'll do it"

Tony turned to Michelle with a look of horror on his face; he couldn't believe what he just heard. Michelle wanted to interrogate Nina. He looked at Ryan dreading his answer; he knew that if Ryan agreed, then that was it. Michelle would interrogate Nina and there was nothing he could do. Ryan inhaled deeply: "Michelle…"

She stopped him: "Listen to me Ryan. That's not a normal interrogation; it's a game, a battle between two minds. I know that you want to send Tony or Jack and I would have agreed with you if it were anybody else. Both of them share a personal history with her and she will use it. She has nothing to lose"

Ryan leaned back in his chair and crossed his fingers in front of his face: "You share a personal history with her too. You're married to her ex and she will use that. You don't know her ways Michelle"

Michelle glanced at Tony before replying, his eyes were pleading with her to let it go but she couldn't. She focused on Ryan: "I know that and so does she. She will think that she has the upper ground. Plus, she is convinced that I'm a piece of cake and it's easy to affect me. I can use that Ryan, I can use her pride"

Ryan thought about what she said for a moment. She had a point, her chances to get something out of Nina were higher than Tony's or even Jack's. Michelle was emotional but Ryan trusted her. He was sure that she wouldn't be offering if she thought she wasn't up to it. He decided to let her do it but a look at Tony made him hesitate.

Tony had his head in his hands and it was obvious that he didn't like where that conversation was heading. In any other day, Ryan wouldn't let that stop him but today was different. Tony had suffered a lot both physically and emotionally and Ryan didn't want him to go into an emotional roller coaster .Ryan had pushed him hard already and Tony was so close to explode.

Ryan decided to let Tony and Jack decide. He knew that if it was up to Tony, he wouldn't let Michelle interrogate Nina: "Tony, Jack, it's your call". Jack ran a hand through his hair. He was worried about Michelle, she was like a sister to him and he knew that Nina would hurt her badly but she deserved a chance. She never let him down so why not? He nodded to her and she mouthed: "thank you"

Michelle turned to Tony nervously, she knew it wouldn't be easy to convince him but she had to: "Tony, I can do it. I know I can. Listen, you and Jack can watch the entire interrogation and stop me anytime. Just let me do it"

Tony looked at her wearily and she repeated his words: "if I ever need you to trust me, it's now". Tony closed his eyes, how could he refuse after what she had just said? She didn't understand why he wanted to go back to CTU and she was worried for his health but she trusted him. He had to trust her to do her job. He had to treat her like he treated Kim or Chloe. She was very capable and he knew it but he couldn't help his over protectiveness. She was his life and he wanted to protect her from getting hurt.

Tony exhaled sharply, he made up his mind. He looked at Michelle and said: "alright but if the situation got out of your control, leave immediately. That's an order". Michelle nodded and stood up followed by Tony and Jack. The three of them made their way to the observation room and Tony and Michelle stopped as Jack entered to join Dalton.

Michelle turned to Tony: "Thanks. I promise I won't let you down". Tony tried to smile: "I know you won't". He paused for a second then reached for her hand: "she'll say some hurtful things Michelle. Just keep in mind that I didn't love her. Hell, I never knew what love was until I met you. I love you so much, more than you can imagine"

Michelle smiled and looked around to make sure no one was there then leaned and planted a kiss on his lips: "I love you too. Don't worry, I'll be fine. Go ahead and join Jack. I'll be there in a minute" Tony nodded and squeezed her hand before leaving. He stood with Jack waiting for Michelle to go in.

Michelle stayed outside for a while trying to organize her thoughts. She was trying to prepare herself to hear the painful comments that Nina would say about Tony and her. She fidgeted with the necklace she was wearing then entered the holding room.

Nina smirked when she saw Michelle: "well, hello again, Michelle". Michelle ignored her and took a seat: "let's cut to the chase Nina. Who was supposed to meet Amador and Alvers at the bar?" Nina raised her brow: "how should I know? Ask them"

Michelle returned her smirk: "oh, please. That's the oldest trick in the book. Play dumb but guess what? That's not going to work with me"

Nina shook her head in amusement: "did Tony pass some of his interrogation skills to you? They won't work though, I know them all. You're wasting your time. I'm not telling you anything unless you have something to offer me"

Michelle smiled sweetly at her: "like a pardon? Sorry, not going to happen but why do I have the feeling that you already knew that?"

Nina leaned forward: "actually I was thinking about your handsome husband". Tony clenched his fists at that and glanced worriedly at Michelle but she didn't seem to be phased. She kept smiling and fixed Nina with her eyes. Nina didn't waste anytime and decided to attack from another direction: "do you think you know Tony?"

Michelle nodded and Nina shook her head in disbelief: "You're fooling yourself. I'm sure that you didn't think that he was capable of lying to you but he did. Doesn't that tell you something? How can you be so sure that he's not cheating on you? Or that he's not a mole? You know only what he wants you to. Personally I don't know him although he was very straight with me."

Michelle rolled her eyes: "Are you sure that _you_ should be talking about that? I'm sure that he's not cheating on me and I'm sure as hell that he's not a mole. I trust my husband Nina and I know that he would never do anything to hurt me"

"So it didn't hurt you that he made you think he fled with me?" Nina shot back and Michelle shrugged: "He was doing his job. I understand and respect that. Tony put the country's best interest ahead of everything else. He didn't mean to hurt me, he wanted to protect me"

Nina sighed dramatically: "yeah, he had always been passionate, especially in bed". Tony froze as Jack's eyes widened. Both knew that Nina would attack fiercely but they didn't expect her to say that. Tony held his breath as he looked at Michelle. He hated that she would think about him and Nina that way.

Michelle stared at Nina with disgust, she was sick to her stomach. She imagined Tony kissing Nina and whispering sweet things in her ears, she imagined him sleeping with her. Waves of jealousy washed over her and she was about to lose control but Tony's words echoed in her head: "I didn't love her. Hell, I never knew what love was until I met you"

Michelle bit her lip as images of herself and Tony filled her mind. How she woke up everyday to his kisses, how he comforted her after hard days at work, how he made her feel loved and wanted by his mere touch. Tony gave her himself and never asked for anything in return. That was Tony, her husband, her lover, her rock.

She remembered that she mentioned Nina once after their marriage. He tensed up and begged her not to talk about Nina again. He said that he felt cheap every time he thought about her. Nina made Tony think that he wasn't enough and it took Michelle a long time to convince him that that wasn't true. She hated Nina for it; she hated her for making that wonderful man think less of himself.

"You didn't deserve him" escaped Michelle's mouth and Nina gaped at her, she didn't expect Michele to respond. The emotional woman that she faced a little while ago wouldn't have responded. For the first time, Nina knew that she underestimated Michelle. She stared at her as Michelle unleashed her anger: "you're stupid Nina. You had an incredible man but you didn't notice. Tony is too good for you"

Tony couldn't control his smile. Jack raised his brow as Dalton said: "man, she is so in love with you". Tony blushed fiercely and Jack put his hand on his mouth to stop himself from laughing. Both of them knew that there was no point in talking to Dalton. The guy didn't care about who he was talking to; he addressed all of them as if they were his buddies or something. Tony tried to talk to him before but Dalton didn't change. He gave up eventually and even got used to the way Dalton talked. Both he and Chloe were great workers but lacked personal skills.

Tony averted his eyes from the two men and focused on Michelle who stopped for a second to catch her breath then continued: "you had everything, the perfect job, the perfect friends and the perfect man but you were stupid enough to throw all that away and I'm so grateful that you did. I have your life Nina, the same job, the same friends and most importantly the same man. You have no idea how much I'm grateful that you didn't notice what kind of man Tony is"

Nina was stunned into total silence; she didn't know what to say. Michelle stared her down then got up to leave but she felt dizzy. She gripped the table to steady herself. Tony and Jack were by her side in a second. They made her sit down despite her protests.

Tony kneeled in front of her and caressed her cheek. Concern was evident on his face and she smiled trying to reassure him: "I'm okay. I just stood up quickly". Both Dalton and Ryan entered the room and Dalton said: "I called medical, they will be there in a minute"

Michelle raised her head: "what? Medical? I'm fine guys, really". She tried to stand up but another wave of dizziness hit her and she nearly fell. Tony caught her and eased her into the chair: "no, you're not. Stop being so damn stubborn"

Michelle didn't respond, she just clutched her stomach and began to rock back and forth while breathing slowly. Tony put his hand on her head: "baby, what's wrong?" Michelle answered: "I'm feeling sick"

Nina snickered when she heard that: "oh Tony, your little doll is not feeling well". Tony ignored her and focused on Michelle. He collected her in his arms and allowed her to rest her head on his shoulder. He didn't care that there were other people in the room. His only concern was about the woman in his arms.

Nina didn't miss the chance: "oh, how romantic". Tony had had enough at that point. He was about to respond but Jack was faster. He turned to Nina and roared: "I swear to God Nina, one more word and I'll make you regret the day you were born"

Nina shut her mouth and looked away. There was fury in Jack's eyes and she didn't want to evoke him. It was obvious that he and Tony became close over the last few years and he was really worried about Michelle.

Dr.Ashley Adams arrived shortly after. She saw Tony and Michelle and was about to talk but Michelle gasped and ran out of the room followed by Tony. Ashley followed them to the ladies room. Michelle was throwing up and Tony was brushing her hair away and drawing circles on her back.

Michelle was panting heavily when she finished. Ashley put her hand on her forehead but Michelle didn't have a fever. Tony was holding her and Ashley knew that he was worried sick: "I'll take her down stairs to rest. Don't worry, she'll be okay. It's not a big deal"

Tony nodded: "I'm coming with you". Michelle put her hand on his; "no, stay. I'll be okay". He looked at her worriedly and she smiled at him and whispered: "I hope that there will be no needles involved. We don't get along well". She made a face at him and he laughed: "if there is a needle involved, give me a call. I can think of something to distract you"

He helped her to the bullpen and she smiled at her co-workers. All of them looked worried and she appreciated their concern. She winked at Tony then left with Ashley.

Michelle returned a couple of hours later feeling better. Tony was still in his office working and she was about to go to him but someone tapped her on the shoulder. She turned and smiled at Kim who asked:" you okay?"

Michelle nodded and asked: "so what happened?" Kim sighed: "not much. Both Nina and Amador refused to speak. Amador and Alvers were transferred to Division and Dad went to bring Nina to join them. We didn't find any new leads. We're just finishing the paper work. Go ahead and see Tony. I know that you were going to"

Michelle shook her head and climbed the stairs to Tony's office. She entered silently trying to surprise him but he saw her:" Hey, how are you doing?"

She stepped closer allowing him to wrap his arms around her petite frame: "I'm fine". He smiled and buried his lips in her hair. They stood like that for a while then she noticed some of her files on his desk:" Tony, what are those files doing here?"

When he didn't answer her, she pulled away and looked at him. She read the answer on his face and her face softened: "you did my paper work? Sweetheart, you didn't have to. You are sicker than I am"

He tapped her nose lightly: "I'm not sick. I was shot". He announced proudly and she giggled at him. God, she loved that man. Everything about him was perfect. She stared at him and bit her lip: "Tony, there is something I need to tell you"

Her face was serious and he started to worry. He waited for her to talk but she lifted his hand to her lips and kissed it then intertwined her fingers with his and placed their hands on her stomach. His eyes widened and he just stared at her. She smiled and understood that he needed to hear her say it to make sure he wasn't dreaming. She kissed his neck then whispered in his ear:" we're going to have a baby"

The next thing Michelle knew, she was being kissed passionately. Tony lifted her in his arms and spun her around. He put her down then kissed her again. As they broke apart, he whispered: "you just made me the happiest man on earth"

She smiled at him and he tucked a loose curl behind her ear: "God, you're so beautiful". She blushed and he put his arm around her waist as he turned to look at the bullpen. He took her hand: "come on, let's tell them". She wanted to tell him to wait until they told their families but she stopped herself. He was so happy; he looked like a kid in a candy story. Instead, she smiled and followed him.

Jack was escorting Nina to the car that would take her to Division. He stopped when he saw Tony and Michelle. Both of them looked so happy. Not that they were usually cranky but it was different. There was some kind of air around them that oozed happiness:" what's going on?"

Michelle decided to play it cool:" what do you mean?" Jack knew what she was doing and sighed: "you know what I mean Michelle. You guys look extremely happy. I had known Tony since a long time and I saw him look like that twice, when you accepted his proposal and on your wedding day. Plus, you are just…..glowing"

Tony smiled at Michelle: "well, she had every right to." He looked around and noticed that all eyes were on them: "we're going to have a baby". Nobody talked as they stared at him in surprise then Kim shrieked: "oh my God". She threw her arms around Tony as Chase hugged Michelle.

Jack stayed where he was smiling. He was so happy for his friends. He stole a glance at Nina and was pleased to see that she was angry. He knew that she was trying to ruin Tony and Michelle's life and was glad that she failed.

Jack waited until everybody congratulated Tony and Michelle then approached them and pulled Michelle to his arms then he turned to Tony: "maybe being sick isn't that bad". Tony smiled and Jack hugged him briefly and patted him on the back.

A voice came from behind: "the day was eventful to you Almeida, wasn't it?" Tony turned to Ryan: "yeah but I should have skipped the getting shot part". Ryan smiled and shook Tony's hand then gave Michelle an awkward hug: "congratulations you two. So if you finished your work, I think that you should go home"

Michelle turned to Tony and he nodded at her: "it just needs to be sent to Division". Jack rolled his eyes: "just go Tony. I'll take care of it". Tony smiled at him with gratitude then wrapped his arm around Michelle and left.

Tony entered their house with Michelle on his heels. He put the pizza they picked on the way on the counter and turned to face Michelle. He took her face in his hands and kissed her firmly. She was out of breath by the time he pulled back. He kissed her neck and nibbled on her earlobe before whispering: "come on. You need to eat. You're eating for two now"

He led her to the couch and sat with her leaning on his chest and started eating. He finished before she did and started kissing her neck. She giggled: "Hey, I thought I need to eat. I can't eat with you doing that". He buried his head in her hair and stopped. She was very tired and started to doze off after she finished eating. He noticed and carried her to their bedroom. She tried to protest but he shushed her and helped her to change.

Once she was tucked in bed, Tony changed his clothes and turned to find her asleep. He smiled and kissed her forehead lightly before lying down next to her. What he didn't know was that she was awake but decided to tease him. She was about to talk when he felt him lift her shirt and put his hand on her stomach. He caressed her lower abdomen gently then kissed it and started talking: "hey sweetie. It's daddy. I know that you are only a tiny bean inside mommy right now but I just wanted you to know how much I love you. I hope that you'll be the girl but you have to be just like your mommy. Her smile, her eyes, her hair and of course her big heart. Your mommy saved me; she showed me what love was really about, she taught me how to live without worrying about everything. She is what makes that life worth living"

Tears welled up in Michelle's eyes at Tony's words. Every time she thought that she couldn't love that man more, he did something that made her fall for him even harder. Michelle reached down and pulled Tony to face her. He was surprised but understood when he saw her face. She kissed him and whispered: "you'll make one hell of a dad. That was beautiful. God, you make me feel so special"

Tony kissed her again: "you're special. You're my wife and the most gorgeous mother to be". She smiled then started unbuttoning his shirt slowly. He kept kissing her until all of their clothes were discarded. They made love passionately cherishing every moment.

Michelle fell asleep with her head over Tony's chest. He pulled her closer and rested his hand on her stomach. He wondered what he had done to deserve that angel. He remembered what Michelle said to Nina during the interrogation. Her love was evident in her words and he felt his heart flatter at the memory. For the first time since the Drazens declared war on Jack Bauer, Tony realized that Nina did him a favor. She disappeared from his life which gave him the chance to meet the love of his life. Michelle changed him to the best. He was a better man because of her. He kissed her cheek one more time then drifted off to sleep knowing that life was perfect.

_I think all of you guessed what a helpless romantic I'm. That was my try to write fluff, please tell me if it worked and don't forget to help me decide, epilogue or no epilogue. _


	5. epilogue

_Thanks for the wonderful reviews everybody,you really made my day.Here is the epilogue,hope you like it _

Michelle opened her eyes lazily to a soft ray of light coming through the window. She shifted trying to get comfortable but gave up after a while. She decided that being almost 9 months pregnant with twins wasn't fun at all. She sighed in frustration as she rolled over and stared at the empty space next to her. Tony was supposed to have the day off but he got called in to work.

Michelle got up with difficulty and made her way to the kitchen. She grinned when she found breakfast on the table, Tony had always been thoughtful.. She sat down and started eating as she remembered that day almost 8 months ago. She woke up to find Tony watching her and it was obvious that he had been doing that for a while. His face was serious and she wondered what was wrong. He kissed her lightly and said that they needed to talk.

Once they had their breakfast, they launched into a discussion over everything that ocurred the day before. Michelle told him about everything that was bothering her and let him comfort her and explain his actions. She opened up gradually and told him how afraid she was when he got shot, how betrayed she felt when he left with Nina. He opened to her too and told her how much he hated leaving with Nina, how bad he felt for causing her so much pain. He ended the conversation by telling her that he decided not to go to Langley. She tried to talk him out of it but he said that he wasn't going to let her sacrifice her career for him and that he wanted her to be with her family during the pregnancy.

A couple of months later, they discovered they were having twins. They decided not to know the gender but a mistake at an ultrasound left them knowing that they would be having a boy and a girl. They agreed to name the boy Jack Mason after their good friends Jack Bauer and George Mason. They would name the girl Carmen Theresa after Michelle's sister Carmen and Teri Bauer. Michelle was surprised at first when Tony picked the name Theresa. She asked him and he said that it was Teri's real name and Michelle understood. After almost 5 years and despite Jack's reassurances that it wasn't his fault, Tony still felt responsible for Teri's death. He believed that he could have saved her and blamed himself for not seeing through Nina's façade.

Tony and Michelle picked Danny Dessler and Amanda Almeida as Jack's Godparents and Jack Bauer and Kate Warner as Carmen's. Kate had become a close friend to both Tony and Michelle over the last 3 years. They knew that Jack sill had feelings for her and they hoped that they would reconcile.

Michelle snapped out of her reverie when she felt one of the babies kick. She caressed her enlarged stomach gently then picked up the phone to call Tony. She was sure that Ryan had driven him crazy by now and she wanted to see how he was doing. The phone rang for a long time before somebody answered: "CTU, Tony Almeida's line"

Michelle frowned when she heard the voice: "Chloe, why are you answering Tony's phone?" Chloe rolled her eyes: "because he's not here"

Michelle ran her tongue over her teeth trying not to snap at her: "I can see that. I mean, where is he?" There was a silence on the other end then Chloe said: "he's in the field"

Michelle shuddered at her words; Tony was shot the last time he was in the field. She put her hand on her stomach drawing strength from her children, his children.She heard Chloe say: "Michelle, I have to go"

Michelle felt that something was wrong.Chloe was eager to end the conversation and there was a certain edge in her voice: "What's going on Chloe?You are holding somethng back"Chloe heaved a sigh: " I don't know what….."

"There is something going on and I want to know it" Michelle pressed, her stomach in knots.

Chloe bit her lip reluctantly. Michelle wasn't going to let it go and she knew it: "Tony is missing. He left with Chase about an hour ago and we can't contact any of them" Chloe said quickly without even taking time to breath.

Michelle swallowed with difficulty. That couldn't be happening, not again. She felt as if she was going to faint. She had to go there, she couldn't leave him alone: "Chloe, send someone to pick me up"

Chloe's jaw dropped in surprise: "what? You can't be serious. You are 9 months pregnant and……"

"I said send someone to pick me up. That's an order" Michelle said, trying not to dissolve in tears on the spot. Chloe, clearly not happy with her decision, said: "fine but for the record, I don't like that"

Michelle ignored her and changed her clothes. She started pacing when she was ready. It was rush hour and she knew that it would take her ride a long time to get there which didn't really help her. She could feel the babies move inside her and she fought the urge to curl into a small ball and cry her eyes out.

Her ride arrived about half an hour later. She rushed to the car and totally ignored what Sean said about her going to CTU in that condition. She wanted to yell at him to leave her in peace. She was a complete mess by the time they arrived at CTU. She made her way into the bullpen to find Ryan waiting for her: "What the hell do you think you're doing here?"

"Helping to find my husband" she said and he could see the condition she was in. The pregnancy made her more emotional than she usually was. He massaged his temples slowly: "what do you want Michelle?"

"I want to help Ryan. Run tactical or do whatever needs to be done" she answered and he noticed that her eyes wandered to Tony's office. He gripped her elbow and led her to her station: "remember the terrorist group that we were trying to apprehend?"

She nodded so he continued: "we sent Jack and Baker to check out a lead. Turned out that it was a decoy. We tracked a name to an empty warehouse. We were closer so I sent Tony and Chase. Everything was okay then we heard Tony yelling at Chase to watch out and we lost contact. Jack arrived shortly after but didn't find anything. It's like they vanished"

Michelle closed her eyes, recalling what Tony told her about that group. They didn't know a lot about them. They blew up several hotels over the last couple of months. Their leader, Calvin Brooks, was a wanted criminal in 3 countries. An idea popped in her head and she started typing. Ryan leaned to see what she was doing; she was searching the Interpol database trying to find anything about the group.

Ryan glanced at her worriedly, she looked exhausted but determination was evident on her face. He sighed and went to Kim to see if she found something. She turned puffy eyes to meet his and said: "it's useless, we can't find anything"

Michelle appeared at that moment: "actually we can". Both of them turned to her so she explained: "I found something on the Interpol database. Brooks had a relationship with a woman called Alice Lang about 5 years ago .She had a daughter 8 months after his disappearance"

"Do you have an address?" Ryan questioned and Michelle gave him a piece of paper. He picked up the phone and called Jack with the information. A while later, Jack called back: "we got an address Ryan. Alice said that she used to meet Brooks there. We are on our way"

Michelle looked away trying not to think about what Jack must have done to get that address. She was sure that he threatened to harm the little girl. She turned to Ryan: "let me run tactical"

He nodded and motioned Chloe and Adam to join her. Michelle tapped the table lightly as she listened to the voices of the team. Adam was scanning the infra red images: "there are 3 guards at each exit and other two in front of one of the rooms. There are 5 people in the room, 2 of them aren't moving .Hold on, I'm sending you the images"

Jack stayed silent until he received the images: "Tony and Chase have to be in that room and I think that Brooks will be with them. Alright guys, we have to take down the guards without alerting the others. We can't afford any mistakes"

"Snipers are in position" Baker informed him and he radioed them:"this is Bauer. Do you have a visual on the guards at the main exit?"

"Only two of them" one of the snipers answered and Jack frowned:" son of a bitch. Alright, I'll handle the third guard. Take the other two down on my command". He started walking towards the house and took his position close to the guard: "do it". The snipers shot the two guards and Jack jumped on the third. They had a little fight then Jack managed to knock him:" team A follow my lead. Baker, take care of the guards at the other exit"

Michelle felt physically ill and she had trouble breathing. It was painful to think about what was going on. Tony's life was in jeopardy and she couldn't do anything. She swallowed the lump in her throat and concentrated on what was happening. She heard Jack whisper: "Adam, did they move?"

"No, they are still there. Wait a second; the three men are leaving the room Jack"

Jack stole a glance at the hallway: "I have a visual on Brooks. All teams….."An alarm blared throughout the place cutting him off:" All teams move, NOW" Jack shouted as he opened fire. The guards were taken back and the CTU team managed to take them down. Brooks retreated into the room and Jack followed him.

Brooks was holding a gun to Chase's head and Jack's hand tightened on the trigger: "put the gun down. It's over Calvin. There is no way you're going to leave"

Brooks looked around looking for a way to escape. Jack took the chance and shot him in the leg. He screamed and fell down forced to release Chase. Jack handcuffed him then turned and untied Tony and Chase: "Brooks is in custody. Tony and Chase are okay"

A cheer rose from the staff at CTU as Michelle sighed in relief. She suddenly noticed that the pain she was feeling was still there, it wasn't just because she was worried about Tony. She creased her brow in confusion then realization hit her.

She was in labor.

Chloe noticed that she looked terrified: "Michelle, you okay?" Michelle put her hands on her stomach and opened her mouth to respond but stopped as her water broke. Everybody stared at her in shock then Ryan made her sit down as Kim called medical.

Michelle's body was shaking. She couldn't have the babies now, Tony wasn't here. She couldn't go through all that without him. She could feel the contractions becoming more regular. Chloe snatched the microphone: "Jack, come back here right now. Michelle's in labor"

"What?" Jack exclaimed: "my God. Okay, okay. We are on our way"

Chloe turned to Michelle as they helped her to sit on a wheel chair: "Tony is on his way". Michelle nodded as they took her to medical. Ashley appeared and checked her: "everything is okay Michelle. The baby is fine. It'll just take a little while"

Michelle nodded as she gritted her teeth. Although the contractions were very painful, she was grateful that she wasn't ready to have the babies. She wanted Tony to be there with her.

After about an hour, the door opened and Tony rushed to her. He leaned and kissed her forehead: "oh baby. Are you okay?" Michelle nodded and held his hand tightly. He kept stroking her hand and encouraging her every time she had another contraction.

Finally, after what felt like a lifetime but was really 14 hours, Ashley checked Michelle and announced that she was ready. The nurses transferred Michelle to the delivery room and Ashley took her position: "okay Michelle. I need you to push"

Michelle gripped Tony's hands as she started pushing. Time flew by and she felt strength seeping from her. She stopped for a second to catch her breath. Tears cascaded down her cheeks and Tony leaned and kissed them away: "come on baby. You can do it. Just hold on a little more"

Michelle closed her eyes to gather her strength then pushed as hard as she could. She heard the cries of one of the babies as Ashley said: "you have a baby boy. Michelle, I need you to take a deep breath and start pushing again. I know it's difficult but you can do it"

Michelle threw her head back taking shaky breaths. She felt Tony wiping sweet from her forehead and putting a cold cloth on it. She looked at him and saw love and concern reflected in his eyes. She smiled at him weakly and pushed. She let out a tormented scream as she felt the baby coming out of her body.

Michelle collapsed in exhaustion as she heard the cries of her daughter. The nurses cleaned the babies and handed them to her. She forgot everything she had been through the second she saw them. She smiled at Tony who kissed her firmly: "congratulations sweetheart". His voice cracked with emotions and his eyes filled with tears.

She handed him Jack and he held him tightly against his chest then leaned and kissed Carmen and whispered: "don't forget, you have to be just like your mommy"

Michelle laughed as a nurse entered and checked Michelle then moved her to recovery. Michelle cleared some space beside her for Tony and the two of them sat staring at their children. Suddenly, Michelle burst into a fit of giggles. Tony stared at her in astonishment and she tried to control her laughter enough to explain: "we are pathetic. Every defying moment of our relationship happened here. We met here, we fell in love here and we had our babies here. Hell, you even proposed to me here"

He grinned as he recalled that day. He arranged everything to propose to her, a romantic dinner on the beach followed by a short walk then proposal under moonlight. Everything was great except that terrorists picked that day to attempt to assassinate the secretary of Defense. It was the third time that they got interrupted and he had to reschedule everything again. They arrived at CTU to find Ryan waiting to debrief them. Tony had had enough at that point; he called her to his office and proposed.

Tony smiled at her lovingly: "and we had an active protocol all of those times". He brushed his lips over hers: "but I can't complain"

Michelle smiled and leaned on his chest with Jack and Carmen between them. Tony stroked her head gently and she buried her head in his chest. She couldn't ask for more, she was with the person she loved and they had two wonderful children together. Her life was getting better in every passing second and she had Tony to thank for it.

Michelle looked up at Tony and kissed him: "thank you". He looked at her questionly:" for making me the happiest woman on earth" He smiled and drew her to his arms:" That's what you deserve"

They fell silent watching their children as they slept peacefully and both vowed that they would never let anything harm them. Their job was dangerous and they knew that they would face a lot of challenges but neither was worried. They were together and they knew that their love could face anything and everything.

_And with that, the story is officially finished. Please keep in mind that that's the first time I write an actual plot and I know absolutely nothing about childbirth. Thanks for all of you who took time to review. You guys gave me the will to continue._


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